Khun Hla Htoo is 33 years old. He came from Taung Kyi, South Shan State in Burma. He was injured while he was building a pagoda with his friends in a small village. A wall collapsed onto his legs, injuring him so severely that he could not stand up. So the villagers sent him to the Taung Kyi hospital immediately. The doctor did not give him any medicine; they only x-rayed his legs and told him to wait until the evening for treatment. But Khun Hla Htoo couldn’t wait any longer so he moved to another hospital to receive more immediate treatment. However, the new hospital didn’t care for him very well either, because he didn’t have any money to pay them. They only gave him medicines when they felt like it. He decided to go back home after 3 days even though he could not walk and was still in pain.

His injury did not heal even though he rested at home. So he went to the same hospital again. The doctor asked him to stay in hospital and said he would cure him. However, when the doctor realized that Khun Hla Htoo had no money, he instead him referred for treatment at Mandalay hospital. But he could not afford the treatment at Mandalay hospital, so he just went backhome again and gave up on getting any more medical care.

After 3 months, his injury was causing him pain, so he went and stayed in an ethnic Pa-Oh clinic for 10 days. Then, he contacted to Pa-Oh National Liberation Organization (PLNO) to ask for assistance. The PLNO sent him to MTC to get treatment for his injury. When he arrived, he could not walk and had to lie down on his bed most of the time. This restricted the blood flow in his body, limiting his mobility even further. The medic taught him exercises to help increase his mobility and get the blood circulating around his body.

He has now stayed at MTC for a total of 1 year and 9 months, during which the medics have been caring for him and helping him with his exercises. The medics have decided that now Khun Hla Htoo can move his body and legs a little bit, he is ready to start recovering at home. Unfortunately he still cannot walk, but it is hoped that with more time and exercise, this will be possible. We wish Khun Hla Htoo the best of luck with his recovery.